Hidden Forest Coop

[ECBW]

My PVC feeder is held up at the vertical section with 2 J-hook plastic pipe hangers ($1 each). The feeder slides up and down from chick height to hen shoulder height.

 

[Jetpad]

You'll want something to protect the feed from water that will sprinkle in during rain. Maybe a piece of plastic against the netting or something. That is going to get wet if you leave it like that, even under the roof. Water dripping from the roof will throw around mud over a foot in the air and even further sideways.

Thanks. I'll keep my eye on it. I'm thinking about storing some supplies on those pavers next to it. They might be enough to shield it.

Looking realy nice.
You only have 6 or 7 chickens right...
You could get by with two food openings with a space between , they will grow.
I use a Trendle for 6 chickens, with no problems.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/building-a-treadle-chicken-feeder

Keep posting the great photo's!
Sean

Yea I only have 6 now and don't plan on getting too many more. Shortening it might be a good idea.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Ahhhh! I love it! Great job... Looking forward to the final product!

 

[aart]

Quote: Actually....I just saw this on another thread, put an 'awing' about 4-5 inches the feed opening, will keep rain out and keep them from standing on the feeder and pooping in it.
...and you want it about a foot off the ground, back height of an adult chicken, less likely to fling feed and can't scratch at it.

 

[Jetpad]

Unnecessary but fun toy, I've added an IP webcam to the coop/run. I've mounted it in about 6 different places and finally decided to put it near the clean-out door, about a foot back, under the coop. It's not an outdoor camera so I figure that spot will be one of the least likely places to get rained on.



Here is a view of the outside roost from the cam.


And I can check on the levels in the food trough.


I wanted a place to mount it that was dry/secure, where I could see the run, see inside the coop and be able to see areas outside the coop (if possible). There was not a spot that let me do all that. But with this spot, I can see the whole run and most of the areas outside the run (through the hardware cloth). I'll just have to add a second camera inside the coop

.

 

[smcgill]

Do you have trip wires around the outer perimiter?

 

[Jetpad]

Do you have trip wires around the outer perimiter?

No, this camera doesn't support trip wires but it does have some basic motion detection built in and can can start saving a video when it detects movement. It is a little buggy but it works ok. So far all it has captured is me walking up on the coop.

 

[Jetpad]

It's getting close to the time for the chickens to move to the coop. I'll probably move them out this weekend.

I've stuck the squares that I cut out for the nesting boxes back in the holes and put a little duct tape on the back to hold them in place temporarily for now. I've hung up the heat lamp in there just incase I have a night they'll be needed. There's sand in the bottom of the coop and I have some thatched grass in the run area for now.

 

[aart]

Have you used that heat emitter before? I found those things don't cast much heat very far but are scary hot to the touch.

What are your chicks in now and are you still providing heat?
How old are they...... Too lazy to scroll back thru the thread, but IIRC they are not very old maybe a month or two?

I would suggest instead of that heat emitter that you put a cardboard 'cuddle box' (big enough for them all to fit into and about 4-6 inches high) filled with shavings for them to gather in together if they get cold.
They probably won't be roosting yet and would prefer a comfy place to cuddle on the floor for a while......and sand can be cold.

 

[MrsBrooke]

If my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, is your waterer directly under your roosts?

Much poop in your waterer, I sense. Mmm. Yes.

MrsB